The Second Punic War, also referred to…

The Second Punic War, also referred to as the Hannibalic War (by the Romans), The War Against Hannibal, or "The Carthaginian War", begins in 218 BCE and involves combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean.

This is the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the crucial participation of Numidian-Berber armies and tribes on both sides.

The two states have three major conflicts against each other over the course of their existence.

They are called the "Punic Wars" because Rome's name for Carthaginians is Poeni, derived from Poenici (earlier form of Punici), a reference to the founding of Carthage by Phoenician settlers.

The war is to a considerable extent initiated by Rome, but is marked by Hannibal's surprising overland journey and his costly crossing of the Alps, followed by his reinforcement by Gallic allies and crushing victories over Roman armies in the battle of the Trebia and the giant ambush at Trasimene.

In the following year (216), Hannibal's army defeats the Romans again, this time in southern Italy at Cannae.

In consequence of these defeats, many Roman allies go over to Carthage, prolonging the war in Italy for over a decade.